Braised Pork Chops With Sauerkraut - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 pork chops, 1-inch thick
2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons lard
4 slices thick-cut bacon
2 lbs sauerkraut or 3 lbs sauerkraut
1 large onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper
3 cups beer

Preparation

Melt the butter or lard in a skillet and quickly brown the pork chops on both sides. Place on platter and set aside.
Arrange the bacon in the bottom of a large dutch oven or braising pan.
Rinse the sauerkraut in a colander and squeeze out as much water as you can. (You can skip this step if you like a stronger flavor). Place half of it on top of the bacon.
Place the sliced onions over the sauerkraut and sprinkle with 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
Arrange the pork chops on top of the onions, and pour in any collected juices.Sprinkle with salt, pepper and the garlic.
Add the rest of the sauerkraut, sprinkle with pepper and pour over as much beer as you need to cover.
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook one hour. The pot should never get completely dry.
Note: I find 2 lbs sauerkraut to be enough, but if you have hearty eaters, you might want the larger quantity. I do not add additional salt.